Self-propelling torpedo.



C. LEMALE.

SELF PB OPBLLING TORPEDO. APPLIOATION FILED 11110.30, 1912.

Patented 11011211913.A

3 BREETS-SHBET l.

Inventar. A

coLuMn PLANonRM-H co.Y WASHINGTON. D. c.

G. LEMALE.

SELF PROPIELLIYNG4 TORPEDO.

APPLICATIONTILED 11110.30, 1912.

1,078,687. Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

3 SHEBTS-SHEET 2.

Witnesses.

` Imzenar.v j r COLUMBIA PLANouRAPH C0.,\v^sHINuToN. D. E.

C. LBMALE.

I SELF PBOPELLING TORPEDO. APPLICATION FILED 1350.30, 1912.

1,678,687. Patented N0v.18,1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

COLUMBM PLANOGRAPH C0.. WASHIN'GTON. DA c.

intensa'.

CHARLES LEMALE, QF PARIS, FRANCE. i

sELr-rnorELLINe ronrEno.

. `Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov, 18, 1.913.

Application led. December 30, 1912. Serial No. 739,305.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that yI, CHARLES LEMALE, a citizen o-f the French Republic,residing at Paris, Department of Seine, in France, have invented certainnew and use Improvements in and Relating to Self-Propelling Torpedoes;and I do hereby declare the followingV to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

In order to increase the power Vand the range of self-propellingtorpedoes it is ad` vantageous to drive them by means of gas turbineswhich give a greater driving power than the reciprocating engines. Intorpedoes driven in this manner, the combustion of the gases takes placeat very high temperatures in the appropriate generators, and the gasesare cooled first by water injection and then by their expansion in thenozzles before attaining the blades. But the quan tity of necessarywater for this purpose being considerable, the torpedoes carry a waterreservoir which takes up a great deal of space. Y

The present invention relates to means for doing away with this drawbackby utilizing sea water which is delivered by a special pump. This waterpenetrates the generator in the shape of thin sheets which are vaporizedand get mixed with the furnace gases. The nozzles distributing thedriving fluid to the turbine can be closed or partially closed. by meansof stop valve spindles in order to reduce the output. To regulate thequantity of water in proportion to the number of working nozzles, apiston is provided in accordance with the invention, for closing acorresponding number of injection water orifices. Furthermore, to avoidthat the water should fill all the compartments when the torpedo hasreached the end of its course, a device has been provided which closesthe gas exhaust orifices as soon as the generator ceases work.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 shows the device for regulatingthe injection water orifices in the generator. Fig. 2 shows the devicefor maintaining the torpedo hull watertight. Fig. 3 is a sectional viewof a portion of a torpedo showing the complete operating plant.

The combustion of the petrol takes place in appropriate burners situatedin the furnace A. Sea water is pumped into the conduit B by means of apump P; said conduit leads to the annular chamber C surrounding thelower part of the generator and is provided with an exhaust valve N. Thewater is heated in this chamber and is thus freed from its impuritieswhich drop down into theannular gutter D wherefrom they can be easilyextracted.

Waterenters the generator either through orifices E, F or Ithroughpassages G, the cylindrical chamber H and the orifices H1, H2 and II3which are arranged in several superposed rows, A certain number Yofprojections Vare provided on the exterior of the chamber Hl andV inbetween the orifices Hl H2 and H3; said projections help the dispersionofthe water jets and effect their instantaneo-us vapOriZatiOn. The gasesleave the "generator by a conduit K leading tothe turbine nozzles. Theseequal in number to that of the rows of orifices H1 H2 and H3 or are a.multiple of thatnumber.

In order to Y regulate the admission Vof wvater, the cylindrical chamberH'has been provided-...with apiston I, the rod of which has a threadedend L which screws into the hub of the wheel M, said hub being providedwith a flange N or'the like, whereby the wheel M is held against axialmovements but is permitted to rotate about its axis. It is to be notedthat the rotation of the handwheel M causes axial movements of vthepiston rod J.

Supposing that a number vof expansion nozzles has been shut off then thevolume of the distributed gas is diminished in the proportion of thenumber of closed to the total number of nozzles. It will suffice, formaintaining constant the temperature o-f the driving fluid, to reducethequantity of the injected water in the same proportion. This iseffected by means of the piston I, controlled by the wheel M, whichcloses one or more rows of orifices H1 H2 and H3.

The pump which provides the sea water need not be regulated for anychanges in the output of the turbine because the exhaust valve Ndischarges automatically to the exterior any excess of water. j

After having acted upon the blades of the turbine the gases fill thehull and their escape from the hull is controlled by the device shown inFig. 2. A piston Q works in a cylinder P which is connected in anysuitable manner to the distribution of compressed air and acts by meansof a forked shaft is hollow so that the gases esca-pel through itsinterior. The valve S controls the exhaust `orifices T and is re-seatedby a spring U.

On starting, compressed air is admitted into the cylinder P which forcesthe piston Q backward and acts upon the'valve S so as to open theexhaust orifices.

When the torpedo stops, thevcompressed air is shut off and the valve Syis re-seated by mea-ns of the spring U.

I claim: Y Y Y j' 1. The combination with a. generator, of means toadmit fluid thereto comprising a chamber projecting into said generatorand provided With a series of openings, and means Jto-cont-roi thequantity of Huid passing through said openings Without changingtherveloeity thereof. g

2. `The combination with 'a torpedo generator, of lmeans to admit Waterthereto, said means provided Wit-ha series of openings through Which theWater passes to the generator', and means cooperating with said openingsto Control the quantity ,of Wa-ter passing therethrough Witho-utChanging the velocity thereof. f Y

The combination with a generator, of means to admit'vvater theretocomprising a chamber projecting into the generator and Copies of thispatent may be obtained for ve cents each, 'byaddressng the Commissionerof Washington, D. C.

provided With a series of openings through Which the Water ioivs to saidgeneratorfand a valve siidably mounted-in said chamber to control saidopenings.

'4. The combination with a generator, of means to admit jets of waterthereto, and projections associated With the Walls of said generatorvand located in the path of said jets to diiuse and breakup said jets ofWater. f Y .Y 1'

5.`r The combination with a generator, of means to 'admit Water thereto,comprising a chamber projecting" into the generator, said chamberp-rovided Wit-h a seriesof openings Athro-ugh which the Water passes tothe generator, said chamber alsoprovided with projections against Whichthe Water issuing from said jets impinges;

6. A generatorvii'or torpedoes and the like, j

provided with an opening in one Wall thereof through which Water isadmitted to the generator, a chamber projecting into said generatorprovided Wit-h a series of openings to admit Water from said chamber to;

the generator, and a valve in'said chamber to control said openings.

In testimony whereof I Vaiiix Vniy signature, in presence of twoWitnesses. j

' `CHARLES LEMALE.

' iVitnesses: A Y

Hanson C. GoXE, GnoRGEs BoNJIi.

Patents,

